About the Sydney Course
1. What do the fees for the program include?
The AU $2200 fee includes enrolment processing, tuition, course materials, certification and moderation fees. Airfares, accommodation and food are not included. See below for more information about accommodation.
2. How do I pay for the course?
Please pay the balance of the course in
When you send your registration you'll be redirected to a
page for paying your US/AU $500 deposit. If you wish to return a bit
later to pay your deposit you can do so here. After paying your deposit
there are other options for paying the remainder of your course here.
- EFTPOS/Credit card payments
The payment can be made using your Australian
eftpos card, or
by visa/mastercard in Australian dollars. If you wish to pay using our
credit
card machine in
- Online via PayPal - final course fee after US/AU deposit of $500 is AU $1700
If
you wish to pay online you can register and pay after registration here:
- Bank transfer/Direct account deposit
You can also pay the deposit and remaining course fee by
bank transfer or
direct deposit:
Swift Code: SGBLAU2S
Account name: TEFL International
St George Bank – Kogarah
BSB: 112 879
Account: 119823792
- Cash
You can pay Australian Dollars cash
at our administration office –
3. What is an average program day like?
From Monday to Friday, there are input sessions every morning from 9.30am to 1.00pm, where trainees learn classroom management, grammar, language and culture, and other practical aspects of the course. Lunch break is from 1.00pm to 2.00pm. From 2.00pm to 3.00pm, trainees prepare their lessons with assistance of Katrina, their trainer, then from 3.00pm to 5.00pm they either teach their lessons to international students in a classroom situation or are involved in some of our unique and exciting aspects of the course, such as observing teachers or teaching private students. These lessons are followed by feedback from the trainer. We aim to provide 6 to 10 hours of observed teaching practice over the 4 weeks. These lessons are taught from Monday to Friday.
On Wednesday evenings is the language acquisition course 6pm to 8pm. The language you'll be learning is usually Mandarin, though if the Mandarin teacher is not available then we'll organise another difficult language, like Thai or Arabic. This forms part of your assessment as you would learn how others acquire a new language. You'll be expected to write a diary of the problems you have learning the language as well as noting the problems that other learners of the language are having.
In addition to those hours, there is also time that must be spent preparing materials and completing various assignments.
Each week has varying times and features and no two weeks are the same. For example, in the first week you'll have the opportunity to teach a private student English. In the second week you'll have the opportunity to teach a small class of adult students with lessons prepared with the assistance of the school. In the third and fourth week you'll have the opportunity to teach students your own prepared lessons.
There is enough to keep you busy the whole time. You will be expected to work hard! You will definitely earn your TESOL certificate in our course. TEFL International courses are well known for including many features that other TESOL courses don't cover. If you wish to be fully prepared for your first teaching job, this is the short, intensive course for you. You can register online here today.
4. How many students on average are in the program each month?
On average we have about six trainees enrolled in each course, although some months we have more; some months the numbers are lower. Most of our participants are from English speaking countries such as America, The United Kingdom, Canada or Australia, although we do accept non-native speakers of English who have a high proficiency in the language.
5. What are the teaching practice students and classes like?
We use international students for the trainees’ teaching practice. These students are very keen and enthusiastic, and because we only charge them a nominal fee to attend, all students come to classes purely because they want to!
6. What are the program accommodations like? Where are they located?
We recommend a hostel called Big Hostel about 20 minutes by train and walking from the school.- All private rooms are equipped with TV and video players.
- All rooms and dormitories are airconditioned.
- Large roof terrace with BBQ facilities and sun deck.
- Self service laundry facilities.
- Dry cleaning service.
- Video hire.
- Fax, scan, print & email facilities.
- International telephone lines.
- Street front cafe.
The standard share accommodation (4 bedroom dorm) for 4 weeks we suggest costs AUD $860.00 and the single room accommodation is AUD $2080 for four weeks (ensuite). Please note that these prices are subject to change without notice and may be higher during high season and public holidays. We have a list of other options if you would prefer a hotel or backpackers closer to the city. If you would like us to arrange accommodation for you there is a AUD $150.00 charge for the service on top of your accommodation fees.
Sydney has a large number of premium hotels available. It is best to organize this kind of accommodation yourself online. Prices start from AUD $250.00 per day.
Please note that all above figures are in addition to the AU $2200.00 course fees.
7. Can I have things shipped or mailed to me at the school?
Yes! Like most postal services in the world, things do go missing so if you’re concerned that something you’re expecting will get lost in Australia Post’s postal service, get it registered and sent to the school so that someone can sign for it.
This is our administration office
address:
Adult English School
Room 102, level 1, 32 York Street Sydney
NSW Australia 2000
Tel +61 2 9299 4475
8. Can I bring my laptop?
Of course. There are internet hotspots all over Sydney where you can buy online time and use the network and, if you bring your usb stick you can usually find a place to plug it and get print-outs. We also have a wireless network at our school if you wish to do your research or check emails. (Not for large downloads) Simply request your password when you pay your remaining course fee.
9. What clothes will I need?
Please check the season you are coming then bring 3 different types of clothes. Australians wear layers as the weather changes hour to hour. Do what the natives do!
Input Sessions and Lesson Planning:
Attire is casual and relaxed. While there is air conditioning available please dress comfortably.
Practice Teaching Sessions at the training
centre:
Attire is smart and conservative. Your shoulders must be covered, and any skirt or trousers must cover your knees when you are sitting down. For women, be careful that your shirts are not too low cut or show your stomach as you may need to lean over to help a student sitting at a desk. Jeans and shorts are not acceptable. Shoes or sandals should be smart.
Job Interviews and Teaching in Sydney:
Attire is conservative and business-like.
Once hired, most schools will provide you with a dress code of their
own.
However, when you’re dressing for an interview, as with any job,
remember
that you’re trying to make an impression. For men, collared shirts, a
tie,
slacks and smart dress shoes are appropriate and expected. For women,
long
skirts, slacks or dress suit and dress shoes are expected. Dresses with
straps can be covered with a smart sweater.
If you are still unsure of what to bring, you may want to wait until you arrive to buy suitable clothes. There are plenty of clothing stores that will have lots of options.
Please also bear in mind that tattoos should be covered when teaching, and any facial piercings removed.
Excited? Want to come to Sydney? Want to
do the course? You can register online today here
Other FAQ pages you may wish to read:
Australian
job market | Living
in Australia | About
Sydney
